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September 23, 2014

The Day Ely Fell

Tulong!
Tulong!

Help! Help!

Cried a man
from behind. I hurriedly turned around, and saw Ely fall.

Knife edge - part where Ely fell

I couldn’t
believe my eyes. How could I? A man just fell from a height of almost 100 feet.
The world stopped for a millisecond - even the strong wind became still. Suddenly,
shouts can be heard from all parts of the mountain- above us, below us,
everywhere.

Tulong! May
nahulog!

Help! Someone fell!

Putang ina,
wag kayo magbiro ng ganyan!

Fuck, stop making such jokes!

Tulong!
Tulong!

Help! Help!

People
running in controlled and uncontrolled panic crossed our path. I was dazed.

A few
minutes ago, I was just quietly listening to Ely’s loud remarks and jokes to
his friends. I even took his photo just before the accident.

Why did that
happen? I couldn’t accept it. Someone got seriously hurt (and potentially have
died) doing something I love dearly. “Shit, I was the one who asked his mom to
let him join this trip,” I heard Ely’s friend say.

My stomach
curled. My initial reaction was to look behind me. There stood shakily, a little
girl calling my name saying she’s scared. She was my newest recruit. I couldn’t
let her out of my sight after that.

I got dizzy
as I had flashbacks of people I invited before – people who had no experience
and no physical inclination to handle trekking. I recalled how many times my
friends used my name to ask permission from their parents, or how I personally
talked to their mothers and asked permission for them.

I cleared my
throat, “shit.”

Heaven
forbid, but what if something bad happened to any of the people I invited. How will I deliver the news to their parents, to their mothers? What can
I say to avoid breaking their hearts?

Nothing.

Nothing, of
course.

I had been
very irresponsible – asking anyone (everyone) to join climbs without even
checking their ability to do so. My belief was that even if people cannot do it
initially, they will be forced to do it once up there anyway. I couldn’t have
been more wrong. Such activity is not to be underestimated.

And so, we
continued the trip silently. No one talked. I stopped taking photos. From
time to time we bumped into locals and mountaineers rushing to the site of
accident to help the search and rescue team. I felt sick. I felt how incapable
I am to extend help in times of emergency. The only thing I could do then was pass
information.

The day Ely
fell, I saw how reckless I have been. I saw how quickly conditions can change. And
most of all, Isaw how dangerous hiking
can be.

eXtra information

definingX

I want to experience whatever it is that life can offer: delicious food, good company,beautiful islands, kind humans, worldly inventions, different culture, etc. I'd like to understand as much as I can. Then, I want to help make the world a better place. I am Arlet :)